They are protected under law, but California wildlife officials do not understand the cause. Many of the birds are dying from starvation despite the presence of prey in the coastal waters they inhabit. Wildlife rescuers are attempting to save as many as they can by feeding them in their facilities. The Huntington Beach Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center has taken in a hundred pelicans that are anemic and dehydrated, weighing only half of what a healthy peguin weighs. Some hungry penguins become entangled in fishing gear suffering deep cuts as they attempt to grab fish from fishers.
A spokesperson from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told interviewers that the problem may be related to poor visibility caused by storms in April. A similar die off occurred in 2022. Hundreds of pelicans were nursed back to health and returned to the wild. The number of sick brown pelicans in 2024 is down compared to 2022. Avian experts still have not determined a root cause of the illness. [photo credit: B. Peters]
